My Musical Growth Michelle Ong

In my senior year of high school, my piano teacher introduced me to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Sharp Minor. It was a daunting prospect; it was November, and I had to memorize and perform it along with two other pieces by February. This was not the first of Rachmaninoff’s works I had dabbled in. I had learned one of his moments musicaux the year before, but this piece was a major step up in difficulty. “Nervous” would not have accurately described the feelings of inadequacy, doubt and fear. The fear of failing, of never meeting my piano teacher’s expectations, of disappointing myself.

It was challenging in almost every aspect, from the technicality to the large ranges that were almost impossible to play. There were many times when certain passages would frustrate me to no end as the correct notes lay out of my grasp. In addition, my available time to practice was less than I would have liked. Senior year brought the stress of college applications and IB exams along with a heavier workload. Despite all this, it was the start of something beautiful. I fell in love with the piece little by little: the passion within the lower register, the middle passage where the main melody developed in the upper register, the way the...